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FSS Sample Strength Block External strength with i

FSS Sample Strength Block
External strength with internal intent.

A good strength program should train more than just “heavy lifts.” We program for:
⚡ Explosive power
💪 Max strength
🏗️ Muscle growth (hypertrophy)
🫀 Endurance
🧭 And movement in multiple directions

Each week in the Functional Strength System, we focus on a specific intent—building each session around that goal while layering in accessory work that supports it.

🔹 Primary Movement: Clean Complex
(High Pull + Hang High Pull + Hang Clean)
Simple, effective, and challenging. We used this for 4 rounds, 3 reps each, with different sets focused on:
1️⃣ Technique with lighter loads
2️⃣ High velocity
3️⃣ Max effort
This complex emphasized explosive power.

🔹 Main Circuit (3 rounds, 6–8 reps each):
1. Rotational Jammer Press – Explosive rotational push
2. Rotational Step Lunge – Unilateral leg strength and control
3. Jackknife Pull-Up Combo – Vertical pulling variation (front and behind the neck)

This circuit blended rotation, power, and upper-body hypertrophy. Fast, clean reps with intent.

🔹 Finisher: Arnold Press w/ Shoulder ER Focus
Pulled out of the circuit to give more focus to pressing volume and shoulder hypertrophy. Completed as straight sets with rest in between to truly overload the tissue and promote muscle growth.

💡 Reminder:
• Rest matters (I took up to 2 min between clean sets)
• Pain is not the goal—function is.
• Movement quality comes first.

All boxes checked: power, strength, hypertrophy, and multi-directional movement.
That’s how we build bodies that are strong, powerful, and move well.

#FunctionalStrengthSystem #FSS #StrengthTraining #PowerTraining #Hypertrophy #RotationalStrength #ExplosiveLifting #MoveWell #TrainWithIntent #UnconventionalStrength #OrlandoFitness #MultidirectionalStrength #CleanComplex #JammerPress #athletetraining

FSS Sample Function Block Mobility ≠ Stretching.

FSS Sample Function Block
Mobility ≠ Stretching.
Mobility = Active control + intentional loading of the tissues that create movement.

In the Function Block of the Functional Strength System, we focus on specific joint actions and load them with intent—using eccentrics, isometrics, lift-offs, and positional holds to build usable range and resilience.

This week’s sample:

🔹 Hip ER Eccentrics
(Pigeon variation on incline bench)
6 reps with a 5-second controlled descent to build rotational strength and tension at end range.

🔹 Collapsed Quadruped Shoulder ER Lift-Offs
10 reps, 2-second holds.
Lifting a DB from end range without compensating through the spine—targeting clean, isolated shoulder function.

🔹 Stick Half-Kneeling Snake Reach
A complex stretch targeting hip extension, lateral spine flexion, and shoulder abduction.
Pull the stick apart and hold for :30 each side to build isometric tension throughout the chain.

This block primes the system—activating the joints and tissues that will be stressed later under heavier loads. It’s not fluff. It’s not just mobility. It’s preparation with purpose.

🧠 Remember:
Mobility will always be limited by your training inputs.
Train from the deepest sections out, and you’ll move better, perform stronger, and reduce injury risk long-term.

#FunctionalStrengthSystem #MobilityTraining #FunctionBlock #JointControl #EndRangeStrength #HipER #ShoulderER #SpineMobility #TrainSmart #StrengthStartsWithControl #FSS #UnconventionalStrength #OrlandoFitness #MobilityMatters #InjuryReduction #movementpreparation

If you’re going to teach it, you should be able

If you’re going to teach it, you should be able to demonstrate it.
That’s something I’ve always believed.

Started a new training phase and brought back snatches and cleans for the power block. This session wasn’t about load—it was about resetting technique and getting back to the fundamentals.

It’s been a while since I programmed these for myself, but there’s still something deeply satisfying about a clean snatch or crisp clean when it’s done right.

Will I lift the numbers I did 7–8 years ago?
Probably not.
And that’s okay.

Because at this point, it’s not about chasing PRs.
It’s about training hard, moving well, and feeling great.
That’s what it’s all about.

#OlympicLifting #SnatchTechnique #CleanAndJerk #FunctionalStrengthSystem #TrainForLife #MovementMatters #TrainSmart #StrengthAndPower #CoachWhoTrains #PracticeWhatYouPreach #ResetTheBasics #FSS #UnconventionalStrength #OrlandoFitness #powerphase

Knee-Dominant Training: It’s More Than Just Squa

Knee-Dominant Training: It’s More Than Just Squats 🦵

Let’s look at the lens by which we think of training the knee. Biggest thing to see is it requires multiple angles and demands—because building strong, resilient knees means going beyond just up-and-down movements.

🔹 Cable Pendulum Squat
Trains deep knee flexion and extension without excessive spinal or pelvic compression. It isolates the joint and emphasizes clean knee mechanics.

🔹 SSB Box Squat (Banded Eccentric + Deadstop)
Adds hip involvement and vertical force vectors, challenging total lower body strength. The banded eccentric loads the descent, while the deadstop forces you to apply brakes fast and re-accelerate from zero.

🔹 Cable-Loaded Knee CARs
Focus on tibial rotation—specifically training the biceps femoris long head to control external tibial rotation. A highly overlooked yet vital component of knee health.

There’s more than one way to train legs.
This isn’t the way—but it’s a smart one.

Blending single-joint, multi-joint, and rotational movements is one of the best approaches to building strong, pain-free knees that last.

#KneeDominantTraining #FunctionalStrengthSystem #SSBSquats #PendulumSquat #TibialRotation #KneeHealth #TrainSmart #StrengthAndFunction #BicepsFemoris #RotationMatters #JointResilience #CableTraining #CARs #OrlandoFitness #UnconventionalStrength #BulletproofKnees #fss

Full Body Strength & Stress Management 🧠💪 L

Full Body Strength & Stress Management 🧠💪

Let’s set the record straight: stress is stress.
Whether it’s from training, work, life, or lack of sleep—your body doesn’t differentiate. The key to long-term health and performance is how well you manage it.

As I tell my athletes:
Train hard. Rest harder.

Right now, I’m running a full-body split that alternates between anterior and posterior chain focus—high volume, high intent.

🔹 Really loving the cable-loaded pendulum squats
🔹 Mixing in explosive bench work for power

My off-days are built for recovery:
➖ Zone 2 aerobic work
➖ Battle rope bioenergetics
➖ Or full rest, depending on what my body’s telling me

It’s not about grinding endlessly—it’s about balancing output and recovery to stay in the game for the long haul.

Do you listen to your body like that?

#FunctionalStrengthSystem #StressManagement #TrainSmart #FullBodyStrength #AnteriorChain #PosteriorChain #RecoveryMatters #Zone2Training #BattleRopes #RestToRecover #StrengthAndConditioning #Bioenergetics #UnconventionalStrength #OrlandoFitness #trainhardresthard

Athletes at Unconventional Strength 🏋️‍♂️⚡️

From current pros to retired legends, across multiple sports and stages of life—our athletes all come here for one reason:
To move better. To get better. To perform better.

It’s not just about “bang and clang” (though we do plenty of that).
It’s about evaluating where you are now, clarifying your goals, and crafting a program that blends what you love with what your body needs.

Whether you’re chasing championships or just staying sharp post-retirement, we focus on building strength and resilience—from the deepest joint to the largest muscle and everything in between.

💥 We optimize human performance.
💥 And yes, that applies even if you’re no longer in the game.

📍 If you’re a current or retired athlete in the Orlando area, drop a comment or hit the link in our bio to learn more.

What are you waiting for?

#UnconventionalStrength #AthleteTraining #RetiredAthlete #HumanPerformance #FunctionalStrengthSystem #FSS #TrainLikeAnAthlete #OrlandoFitness #SportsPerformance #StrengthAndResilience #TrainSmart #OrlandoAthletes #PerformanceOptimization #NextChapterTraining #movementmatters

Achilles ruptures are making headlines—and for g

Achilles ruptures are making headlines—and for good reason.

Let me be clear:
This isn’t about capitalizing on injury—it’s about education.
I’ve been asked for my take, so I’m sharing it with care and respect for the athletes affected.

This season, we’ve seen nine Achilles ruptures in the NBA, spanning various age groups. That number should make us all pause.

Yes, some factors are outside the athlete’s control.
But I’ll always stand by this:
👉 Control what you can control.
👉 Train to match the stimulus of your sport.

That means not just being strong and mobile—but exposing tissues to the kinds of forces, angles, and velocities they’ll encounter on the court.

In this video, I demo a foundational drill that targets the Achilles at length using a 45° incline, with the hip extended to increase tension. Start slow. Build over time. Periodize load and tempo.

This isn’t the answer—but it’s one answer in a system designed to reduce risk and build durability.

📌 The goal: create resilient athletes who move well, load well, and can absorb the demands of their sport.

#AchillesInjuryPrevention #NBAInjuries #FunctionalStrengthSystem #LoadAtLength #TrainSmart #SportsPerformance #InjuryReduction #AthleteDurability #StrengthAndConditioning #UnconventionalStrength #FSS #ControlWhatYouCanControl #NBA #AthleteDevelopment #ResilientTissue #orlandofitness

This episode was near and dear to my heart. In it

This episode was near and dear to my heart.

In it, I opened up about some vulnerable moments—challenges I’ve faced, the weight I’ve carried, and the strategies I’ve used to climb out of the struggle.

June is Men’s Mental Health Month, and I couldn’t think of a better time—or a better person—to have this conversation with than my friend @the.shirtlessdude.

These topics matter. This conversation matters.
And if it helps even one person feel less alone, it was worth every word.

🎙️ Check it out at @fellowship_of_the_gains
👍 Like it
📲 Subscribe wherever you listen
💬 Share it with someone who needs it

#MensMentalHealth #FellowshipOfTheGains #FOTG #MentalHealthMatters #VulnerabilityIsStrength #PodcastEpisode #StrengthInStruggle #RealTalk #FunctionalStrengthSystem #UnconventionalStrength #CommunityThroughConversation #orlandofitness

The best way to learn agility… is to do it. Our

The best way to learn agility… is to do it.

Our intern @avareuter_ running through one of our reaction and change of direction tests using @blazepod as part of the Functional Strength System.

Agility isn’t just about cutting fast—it’s about perception, reaction, and decision-making.
We train that using visual and auditory stimuli to improve real-world responsiveness.

⚡ Athletes need it for performance.
👨‍👩‍👧 Parents and gen pop need it for safety.
Being able to see, process, and react quickly could be the difference between avoiding danger—or running toward someone who needs your help.

Bonus: it’s a killer way to gamify your conditioning and track real progress using reaction time and hit metrics in the BlazePod app.

Want to try our gamified conditioning system?
👉 Follow along and stay tuned—we’re just getting started.

#FunctionalStrengthSystem #FSS #AgilityTraining #ReactionTime #ChangeOfDirection #CognitiveTraining #Blazepod #GamifiedConditioning #TrainSmart #AthleteDevelopment #ParentFitness #GeneralPopulationTraining #OrlandoFitness #SportsPerformance #UnconventionalStrength #movewithpurpose

Week 3 = Power in the Functional Strength System ⚡️

Always a privilege to have one of my off-season athletes back in the house—Terrell, an exceptional athlete and an even better human being.

Fresh off earning his bachelor’s, now working toward his postgraduate degree, Terrell is using these 10 weeks to dial in his movement, build capacity, and prep for a high-performance, healthy final season at UM.

His program blends:
🔹 Internal strength
🔹 External strength
🔹 Velocity-based movements
🔹 Conditioning work

Off-season is the time to load, build mass, and clean up inefficiencies. But for skill athletes like Terrell, I always keep impulse and power development in the mix—because we’re not just building muscle, we’re building output.

Here’s a quick look at a Week 3 session:
➡️ Hip-dominant and press-focused
➡️ Every movement influenced by speed and intent
➡️ All part of a system built around sustainable performance

Can’t wait to see where this offseason takes him.

#FunctionalStrengthSystem #FSS #AthleteTraining #OffseasonProgram #PowerDevelopment #VelocityTraining #HipPower #SportsPerformance #UMAthlete #CollegeFootball #StrengthAndConditioning #OrlandoTraining #TrainLikeAnAthlete #UnconventionalStrength #SpeedStrength #PerformancePrep #AthleteDevelopment

Sundays are for Spine, Shoulders & Scapula… Or a

Sundays are for Spine, Shoulders & Scapula…
Or as we like to call it: Torso Day.

Today’s focus: building joint control, expressing full ROM, and challenging resilience through progressive loading and intentional movement.

We started with deep joint work using CARS in various positions—culminating in a 100lb sandbag spine CAR.
Not the cleanest, but definitely the heaviest I’ve ever done for true spinal articulation.

Then we got after it with some external loading work:
1️⃣ Reverse Hyper Back Extensions + Hip Extension Isometric
2️⃣ Zercher Jefferson Curls
3️⃣ EQI KB Overhead Press
4️⃣ Cable Rear Delt Flys + Overhead Squeeze (hello scapulohumeral rhythm)
5️⃣ Pull-ups
6️⃣ High-rep barbell spinal flexion with chains to finish it off

This session wasn’t about chasing PRs—it was about developing a resilient, responsive upper quadrant through deliberate stress and controlled challenge.

🧠 Have you ever thought about training your spine, scapula, and shoulders with this level of intention?
Not sure where to start?

👇 Drop a comment or DM—I’ll point you in the right direction.

#SpineTraining #ScapularControl #ShoulderStability #TorsoDay #CARS #MobilityTraining #UnconventionalStrength #JointHealth #MovementQuality #StrengthAndControl #OrlandoFitness #ZercherCurls #ReverseHypers #SandbagTraining #Pullups #TrainSmart #SpinalStrength #frc

Monday Moves: TRX Suspended Lunge 🔁 Flawlessly

Monday Moves: TRX Suspended Lunge 🔁

Flawlessly demoed by our intern Ava, the TRX Suspended Lunge is a staple in our programs—for athletes, adults, and everyone in between.

Stability is built from the ground up, and this movement challenges the entire kinetic chain:
⚙️ Mid-foot control
⚙️ Hip and trunk stability
⚙️ Unilateral strength
⚙️ Neuromuscular coordination

The further you step from the anchor point, the greater the pendulum effect, pulling you into instability and demanding total-body control through the full range of motion.

This isn’t a starting point—it’s a progression. Once mastered, we can:
✅ Load it
✅ Slow it down or add velocity
✅ Elevate the front foot
✅ Add rotation or even plyometric elements

If you’ve never tried a TRX Suspended Lunge, prepare for a humbling (and enlightening) experience.

🎓 Bonus shoutout to Ava, part of our new internship partnership with UCF, here for 10 weeks learning to coach, program, and apply science to real-world training.

#TRXTraining #SuspendedLunge #FunctionalStrengthSystem #UnilateralTraining #StabilityTraining #OrlandoFitness #TRXMovement #InternshipProgram #UCFInterns #StrengthAndConditioning #MondayMoves #MovementMatters #FunctionalStrength #TrainSmart #CoachDevelopment #FSS #unconventionalstrength

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